Demonstration of W-band SAR Imagery with a Ground Based System Having 7.5 GHz of Bandwidth Obtained with a Stepped Chirp Waveform

Imagery formed from data collected by a ground-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operating at W-band (95 GHz) with a bandwidth of 7.5 GHz is presented. The synthetic aperture is generated by translating the radar antenna along a precision rail mounted atop a two story building which illuminates targets at ground level below. The azimuth resolution achieved is 1.4 cm. The 7.5 GHz of range bandwidth is created as a union of sub-bands using a stepped chirp waveform providing a range resolution of 2.5 cm. Repeat pass interferometric SAR for terrain mapping and change detection are also demonstrated. The results are of particular importance for the development of airborne high resolution imaging and mapping systems, and ground-based security applications.